Relax, Wellington women, Mayor Celia's back. John Morrison, the man who wanted to shower with a body-painted young girl, won't be the capital's ambassador.

I can't believe so-called sophisticates found it hard to choose between incumbent Celia Wade-Brown and Morrison, the "sexist relic from a bygone age".

Wade-Brown allegedly "made us cringe", but Morrison made a clot of himself. He was caught plagiarising, promised sports for guys and shopping for the ladies, and complained cyclists were ignored while he was the boss of the council's sports portfolio.

Wade-Brown's critics say she dithers; supporters say she consults. In Wairarapa most of us don't want amalgamation with Wellington, which is why at least two of our mayors, Adrienne Staples and Ron Mark, were unopposed, and equivocal Garry Daniell was replaced in Masterton.

Further up the line, Napier's new Mayor Bill Dalton's in for a bumpy ride. Hawke's Bay issues include water fluoridation, fracking and the Ruataniwha dam. Enough to keep the magpies at war for centuries.